ICYMI: September 18, 2016

What we wrote

A couple weeks ago, a few us from the FunnelCake team attended The Uberflip Experience, a conference focused on content marketing. Here are the key takeaways."5 things I learned at UFX2016" — 7 minute read

Aaron Ross, successful entrepreneur, family man, and author of Predictable Revenue and From Impossible to Inevitable, joined us to talk about nailing your niche. Aaron talks about his new book—coauthored by Jason Lemkin—and why it's better than his last, clues that indicate you haven't nailed your niche yet, and tips on how to find the right one. "Aaron Ross on Nailing Your Niche" — 13 minutes

What we're reading

David Skok writes about the troubling spots in your funnel, the point(s) where conversion rates from one stage to the next are unsatisfactory, otherwise known as a blockage point. David helps you to identify, fix, and measure those blockage points. "Customer Acquisition: Maximizing Your Sales Funnel" — 6 minutes

Steve Woods understands that for many, networking is a daunting task that often turns into nothing of value. Here are nine questions to avoid awkward small talk and lead to conversation about what interests, motivates, and excites your fellow networkers. "Stop Selling, Start Asking" — 5 minutes

Allison Lohse explains some top findings from a survey done by IDG Connect. Arguably the most alarming stat is that most marketers are using 6+ measurement tools, and of those people, most don't trust the results. "Marketers Use 6+ Measurement Tools, Don’t Trust Data" — 3 minutes + infographic

Victoria Lefevers asks that you think back to every date you've been on 😬 Can you explain what success looks like for each of those dates? Now sit down, grab a piece of paper, and do the same for your business to find the necessary measurements to define and act on problems. "Why You Need to (Measurably) Define Success" — 6 minutes

Ann Handley encourages us to slow down in order to grow faster. In the mile-a-minute world we live in, companies that will have the biggest marketing wins won't get there by going faster, but those that slow down and identify key moments. "How to Deliver Faster Results by Slowing Down" — 7 minutes

Jesse Davis lays out seven things (other than talent, hustle, and other intangibles) that are necessary for B2B sales reps to have in order to have great calls—the first of which is clean data. "7 Vital Things B2B Sales Reps Need" — 3 minutes